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If it makes you feel any better the previous boat heading to the west coast left October 7 so going directly to Bremerhaven probably wouldnt have helped. Typically the loads are determined a week in advance.

I am also on the boat, after dropping off in Paris on October 3. Not sure why AlpBMW's took so long. That one should have made the Oct 7 boat.

She is a little behind schedule but a few hours away from Southhampton to pick up the MINIS then on to Panama Canal. I got a tailing shot of the Topeka from a webcam as she pulled out of ZEEBRUGGE. That was fun. The obsession is starting and yes I did buy the iphone app to track her.

Problem is that I dropped off on the 1st and I was not booked until the fifth.

Just missing the seventh and for some reason there was only a bi-weekly boat this month, not the normal weekly. Let's just cross our fingers that the cars don't get held up by customs or the VPC and we have new cars in the driveway before thanksgiving

There is some repair work to be done at VPC...Westin Paris valet damaged my rear bumper and three of my rims.

I wonder if I should call and give them a heads up?

I was told that if you note it on the drop off damage report, VPC should/will fix it. I got a door ding in Italy (gotta love those tiny parking spaces...) and was told it will get fixed at VPC (or rather before I take re-delivery of the car). Let me know what you find out please.

Just missing the seventh and for some reason there was only a bi-weekly boat this month, not the normal weekly. Let's just cross our fingers that the cars don't get held up by customs or the VPC and we have new cars in the driveway before thanksgiving

Do the west coast ships always sail Europe -> Panama or do they stop on the US East coast first? Topeka 10/21 is going UK -> Panama directly. Not sure if this is typical or not.

Do the west coast ships always sail Europe -> Panama or do they stop on the US East coast first? Topeka 10/21 is going UK -> Panama directly. Not sure if this is typical or not.

Not sure for the non WWL lines but it looks like it is a direct flight to panama for the west coast boats. From what I remember of tidal currents in the Atlantic there are two primary routes. North towards Newfoundland and then a route that shoots down off of Portugal then there is a good east west current that takes you down towards South America. Can't remember the name of it. But most boat routes take advantage of these currents as it saves fuel and increases your cruising speed.

November 5 at the canal. It looks like they saved time at Southampton and made up a couple days as new california arrivals date is the 13th.

I was told that if you note it on the drop off damage report, VPC should/will fix it. I got a door ding in Italy (gotta love those tiny parking spaces...) and was told it will get fixed at VPC (or rather before I take re-delivery of the car). Let me know what you find out please.

I should have a fun little animated gif or maybe a quicktime movie of the trip through the lock sometime today. It made up some time during the Atlantic journey. Let's hope it makes up some more time heading up the west coast.

The Topeka is currently steaming north along the baja sur coast at 16 knots about 60 nautical miles south southwest of Ensenada...Looks like she might make port on time in approx. 23-24 hours. Perfect as there will be plenty of longshoremen on duty at this time to unload her.

She looks like she is probably 6 or 7 hours behind schedule. She was supposed to dock at around 9 or 10pm tonight (which is 0500-0600 11/15 UTC) but I am guessing she still has another 15 hrs not the 8-9 the schedule shows. Either way docking first thing in the morning would probably speed up the process anyway. I dont think the Port is on a 24hr shift schedule.